Musings having lost first and third votes (9)
I believe the answer is:
elections
'votes' is the definition.
(election is a kind of vote)
'musings having lost first and third' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'lost' could be 'l' (abbreviation in sporting league tables) and 'l' is found within the answer.
'first' could be 'i' (I in Roman numerals eg Elizabeth I) and 'i' is found within the answer.
'and' could be 'n' (common abbreviation for 'and') and 'n' is found in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for elections that I've seen before include "Votes to fill positions or political office" , "polls" , "Stolen ice (anag.)" , "Selection of appointments through ballots" , "democratic choices" .)